1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to scheduling and in particular to an electronic scheduling structure and method suitable for use in controlling the dispensation of medicine, in keeping track of previously arranged appointments and in controlling the turning on and off of electrical equipment such as appliances and lights.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various structures and methods are known for reminding a patient when to take a medicine, keeping track of the dispensation of medicines, keeping track of other events in a person's life such as appointments and for turning electrical equipment on and off at preset times. These structures include simple recording systems involving paper and pencil as well as complicated recording systems involving paper, pencil and multiple copies carefully arranged in accordance with desired formats. A medication record keeping package is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,664.
Electronic reminder systems are also known. Thus U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,801 discloses an automatic periodic drug dispensing system for alerting patients under medication when specific drugs are to be taken. The structure disclosed in the patent includes a timer to indicate when a specific drug is to be taken. The timer can be set to go off at predetermined time interval relative to previously administered drugs. The timer includes a clock, a time totalizer and signal responsive paging device to indicate not only when a particular medicine is to be taken but which medicine is to be taken. The structure disclosed in the patent is a sophisticated, relatively expensive structure and includes an alerting device suitable for automatically sending a signal over the telephone to indicate that a patient needs help. The system provides for the storage and coding of a day's requirements of prescribed drugs and indicates to a patient the specific time and the prescribed drug to be taken.
Electronic diaries and calendars are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,999,050 issued Dec. 21, 1976 and 4,162,610 issued July 31, 1979, as well in U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,752 issued Nov. 24, 1981. Each of these patents describes a system which requires the use of a relatively expensive microprocessor circuit or equivalent. Thus, these structures are relatively expensive and require on-board electronic memory.
Timers having adjustable day and time periods of operation are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,153 issued Sept. 10, 1974 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,918 issued June 14, 1977. These timers require the use of mechanical and electronic equipment and are not suitable for a portable consumer device due to their large size and power consumption.
Thus, present electronic multiple alarm clocks and message devices often use large microprocessor integrated circuits which are relatively expensive and are difficult for the average consumer to quickly comprehend and remember how to program and interrogate. Both their initial expense and the difficulty in using them makes the microprocessor-based devices less than desirable in many applications. The mechanical/electrical timers, while simpler, are too bulky and require too much power for portable consumer items.
There is a need on numerous occasions for an easily programmable multiple alarm timing device that is compact, portable, inexpensive and which automatically repeats itself every twenty-four hours. It is also important that such a device simultaneously displays current time, alarm set time, and in some applications, what is to occur at the alarm time, as well as provide a record of what is to be done at each alarm time.